Ernest sefton



(NoModeL) E. SEPTON.

CRICKET BAT.

N0. 561,618 Patented June 9, 1896.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFEIcE.

ERNEST SEFTON, OF CHRISTCHURCH, NEW ZEALAND.

CRICKET-BAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 561,618, dated June 9, 1896.

Application filed January 22, 1896. Serial No. 576,418. (No model.)

To call whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST SEFTON, a citizen of New Zealand, residing at 71 Cathedral Square, Christchurch, in. the provincial district of Canterbury, New Zealand, have in vented new and useful Improvements in the Handles of Cricket-Bats, of which the following is a specification.

The object of this invention is to provide cricket-bats with handles which will have more elasticity than those in common use and will present a better surface to the grasp of the player.

Bat-handles are usually formed of a number of pieces of cane accurately fitted and fastened together by glue and bound around with. string. Sometimes slips of whalebone or india-ruhber are interposed with pieces of cane.

I find in practice that fastening together the pieces of cane by glue or other adhesive material greatly reduces the elasticity of the handle, while the string binding has asimilar effect and is not a satisfactory surface to be grasped by the player, as it is liable to gall or chafe the hands.

In my invention I make a bat-handle consisting simply of a bundle of fibers which are r not connected to each other except at the end which is dovetailed into the blade, an envelop of gutta-percha or similar elastic material be ing employed as an external covering to keep the fibers in position and form a satisfactory surface to the grasp of the player.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a front elevation, and Fig. 2 a similar view, partly in section, illustrating my invention.

The blade a is formed in the usual manner, with the dovetail h receiving the bottom of the handle 0, which is secured therein by glue or any usual means. The handle is divided into fibers (1 throughout its length (beyond the part dovetailed in the blade (1) and is covered by a gutta-percha envelop e.

In making the handle pieces of cane or similar fibrous material of convenient section are fitted and glued together at one end to form a wedge to fit the dovetail Z), into which it is glued. The division into fibers is then effected by splitting the cane with a knife or by passing the handle between rollers, which will compress it sufficiently to separate the fibers without injuring the material. The handle is then trimmed to the desired shape, the fibers being tied in places to hold them together during the operation.

Gutta-percha is rendered temporarily plastic by well-known means and molded over the handle so as to adhere to the external fibers thereof and form an envelop.

If desirable, the gutta-percha envelop could be formed separately and passed over the handle, to which it would be secured by what is known as rubber solution.

In shaping the handle the external fibers may be out through transversely, which will obtain greater elasticity for the handle without materially endangering its strength.

What I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

Abat-handle formed of fibers of cane held by a gutta-percha envelop and glued together only at the end which is dovetailed into the blade substantially as specified and illustrated.

Dated this filth day of December, 1895.

ERNEST SEFTON. In presence of HENRIE H. RAYwARn, SAMUEL CUMING. 

